'Where Is He?': Biden's Hail to the Chief Joke, 11 Times in the Official Record (July 19, 2023)

President Joe Biden opened the 2023 Congressional Picnic at the White House with a joke about his own entrance music. “Every time I hear ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I turn around and say, ‘Where is he?’” he said, to laughter. “I’m getting used to it, though” [1].

He never stopped telling it. A HYGO News search of the official transcripts published by the American Presidency Project found at least 11 versions of it between July 2021 and October 2024, the last one three months before he left office [1]-[11].

The video above shows the July 19, 2023, picnic version. Quotes are from the official transcripts.

Eleven Versions

Here is what the official record shows, in order:

July 21, 2021, CNN town hall, Cincinnati. “The first time I walked downstairs and they played ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I wondered, ‘Where is he?’” Then: “No, you think I’m kidding. I’m not kidding” [2].
July 22, 2021, bill signing. “Every time I hear that, I wonder when he’s coming” [3].
Feb. 10, 2023, National Governors Association. This time the cue was a different phrase: “Every time I hear ‘the President of the United States,’ I look around and say, ‘Where the hell is he?’” [4]
June 29, 2023, campaign reception, New York. Biden said he told former President Barack Obama, “Every time I hear ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I turn around and look for you, wondering where the hell you are” [5].
July 19, 2023, Congressional Picnic. “Every time I hear ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I turn around and say, ‘Where is he?’” [1]
Nov. 9, 2023, campaign reception, Chicago. “I hear ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I turn around and wonder where the hell is she? Where is he?” Then: “It’s hard to get used to. For real” [6].
Jan. 19, 2024, U.S. Conference of Mayors. “I said every time that I hear ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I wonder, ‘Where the hell is he?’” [7]
Feb. 21, 2024, campaign reception, San Francisco. “For the longest time after being elected, I’d hear ‘Hail to the Chief’ played, and I’d turn around and wonder: Where the hell was he?” [8]
March 28, 2024, fundraiser with Obama and Bill Clinton, New York. “Every time I’d be introduced, they play ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I’d turn around—‘Where the hell are they?’” [9]
May 3, 2024, Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony. “For the first 2 years, every time I heard ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I’d turn and look around, ‘Where the hell is he?’” [10]
Oct. 20, 2024, White House dinner. “Every time they play ‘Hail to the Chief’—it took me 2 years—they’d start to play it—swear to God—I’d look around like, ‘Where the hell is he?’” [11]

“Where the Hell Is He?”

The early versions were gentle. In 2021, Biden “wondered” where the president was. In eight of the nine versions from 2023 and 2024, “where” came with “the hell” [4]-[11].

The timeline moved, too. In July 2023, he said he was “getting used to it.” Four months later, in Chicago, he said, “It’s hard to get used to. For real.” By 2024, he was describing it in the past tense, as something that lasted “for the first 2 years” [1][6][9][10].

The Audiences Changed, the Line Did Not

Biden told the joke to governors, mayors, donors, members of Congress and Medal of Freedom honorees. To the governors, he said he had first told it to one of them: “I told Governor Murphy once,” he began [4].

At the mayors’ conference, he worked it into an elevator story. “I was getting in the elevator to come up, and my introducer—where is she? There she is,” he said, before delivering the line [7].

At the Congressional Picnic, he moved straight on. “Folks, thanks for being here. Welcome to your house,” he said [1].

”Next Question. Move On.”

At the March 2024 fundraiser in New York, Biden started into the joke while sharing the stage with Obama, Clinton and moderator Stephen Colbert. “By the way, every time——” Biden began [9].

Obama interjected: “Next question. Move on.” Biden told the joke anyway [9].

At the 2021 CNN town hall, moderator Don Lemon tried to help. “It’s a great tune, isn’t it?” Lemon said. “It’s a great tune, but I—you know, you feel a little self-conscious,” Biden said [2].

”Let’s Get Going”

At the picnic, a pigeon flew in front of the podium, the official transcript notes. “Thank you—that bird, right there. That—that pigeon. [ Laughter ]” Biden said [1].

He had kind words for the Republican speaker. “And Speaker McCarthy, who—I don’t want to hurt his reputation, but I actually like him. [ Laughter ]” [1]

Then he wrapped up. “I’m not going to say anything more. You want to say anything, Madam Vice President?” Biden said. After Vice President Kamala Harris spoke briefly, he closed: “God bless America. Let’s get going.” [1]

By the Numbers

11: versions of the joke in the official transcripts, July 2021 to October 2024, by HYGO News’ count [1]-[11].
8: versions with “where the hell” [4]-[11].
2 years: how long Biden said the feeling lasted, in his 2024 tellings [10][11].
3 months: time between the last version found and Biden’s final day in office [11][13].

What Happened Next

Biden left the race. On July 21, 2024, Biden announced he would not seek reelection, writing that “it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down” [12]. He kept telling the joke into the fall [11].

The song played for someone else. On Jan. 20, 2025, Donald Trump was sworn in again. “The golden age of America begins right now,” he said in his inaugural address [13].

For another line Biden told over and over, see HYGO News’ page on his “no seats” joke.